This invention relates to vehicle article carrier systems, and more particularly to a vehicle article carrier system incorporating a support rail which may be configured either as a slat mounted against the outer body surface of the vehicle or as an elevated side rail.
Vehicle article carriers are used in a wide variety of applications to support articles thereon. In some configurations, the vehicle article carrier will comprise what is generally known in the industry as a xe2x80x9cslatxe2x80x9d. The slat is essentially an elongated support rail, often including an integrally formed, elongated channel, which is adapted to be positioned directly against the outer body surface, with possibly only a resilient pad separating the rail from direct contact with the outer body surface. The slat has a very low, highly aerodynamic profile.
In another configuration of a vehicle article carrier, a support rail is provided which is generally termed in the art a xe2x80x9cside railxe2x80x9d. The side rail is supported at a distance above the outer body surface, typically by a pair of support feet or other like elements. The distance above the outer body surface may vary but is typically between about 2xe2x80x3-4xe2x80x3 above the outer body surface. Thus, the side rail does not have the low profile appearance of a slat but yet provides an additional degree of clearance between articles carried thereon (or on a separately mounted cross bar disposed on the siderail) and the outer body surface of a vehicle.
At present, elongated support rails are specifically designed for use as either a slat or a side rail in a vehicle article carrier system. Thus, it has heretofore not been possible to use one rail as both a slat or a side rail without significant modifications to the support rail or the elements intended to secure it to the outer body surface of the vehicle. However, it would be highly desirable to provide such a system wherein a single rail can be used either as a slat, and therefore secured directly to an outer body surface of a vehicle, or as a side rail, wherein it is secured at an elevated position above the outer body surface by a pair of suitable supports. Such a vehicle article carrier would provide a significant degree of flexibility to vehicle manufacturers and allow fewer independent component parts to be carried as inventory. More specifically, a vehicle manufacturer would be able to use a single support rail as part of a slat-based vehicle article carrier system or a side rail-based vehicle article carrier system.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a vehicle article carrier system having a common, elongated support rail which can be used either as a slat or as a side rail to support articles thereon, and without any modifications being required to the support rail.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a vehicle article carrier system wherein a single elongated support rail can be used to form a slat or an elevated side rail of a vehicle article carrier system, and which can also be used with a conventional cross bar and bracket arrangement for supporting the cross bar thereon.
The above and other objects are provided by a vehicle article carrier system in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention. The vehicle article carrier system generally comprises an elongated support rail which can be configured either as a slat or as a side rail of the vehicle article carrier system. The elongated side rail is formed to provide an elongated channel. A conventional cross bar having a pair of bracket members at each end thereof may be secured adjustably to the elongated support rail to thereby permit adjustable positioning of the cross bar along the elongated support rail.
In a first configuration, the elongated support rail is configured as a slat by positioning it against the outer body surface of the vehicle and securing it to the outer body surface via a plurality of threaded fasteners. A pair of end caps may be used to close off the opposite ends of the slat and provide a finished, decorative appearance thereto.
In a second configuration the elongated support rail is mounted via a pair of mounting support feet in an elevated configuration to form a siderail. The opposite ends of the siderail engage with mounting portions of each of the support feet. The conventional cross bar and bracket members thereof can also be secured to the siderail without any modification being required to the siderail. Optionally, a center support may be secured to the outer body surface of the vehicle and used to provide additional support to a central area of the siderail.
The vehicle article carrier system of the present invention thus allows a single elongated support rail to be used either as a slat or a siderail in a vehicle article carrier system. This reduces the number of independent component parts that a vehicle manufacturer needs to maintain in inventory and allows vehicle manufacturers to quickly and easily configure a slat-based vehicle article carrier system or a siderail-based system.